This invention relates to an improved method for removing the nut shell of very hard shell nuts of a kind that requires removal by a hand operation, away from the kernel with minimal fragmentation of the kernel. It may, however, be used with desirable results, on a variety of other nuts in the soft shell category.
As far as can be determined, in my search for methods of removing the kernel from the hard nut shell, my invention is the only one that employs a blade for this purpose. A search was made for patents of such devices in The Official Gazette of the U.S. Patent Office and it was discovered that the devices described therein are mounted to a base and operated with a lever. Other devices have similar features, but lacked the special blade feature or the spoon-shaped extension of this invention.
This blade type kernel extractor is a vast improvement over the old method of picking out the kernel with a sharp pointed object which often shattered the kernel. For example, on particularly difficult hard shell nuts such as the black walnut, the old method of prying the kernel out of the shell most often destroyed the kernel by the pressure exerted to remove it from the shell. This new method of extracting the kernel is easy, safe, fast and efficient.
My invention employs a wedge-shaped chipper blade for chipping the shell of the nut away from the kernel. This method removes the kernel with minimal fragmentation to the kernel.
Nuts such as the black walnut, hickory nuts, and other similar hard shell nuts, must be "cracked" open prior to using this invention for extracting the kernel from the hard nut shell. Certain varieties of nuts with softer shells, such as pecans or almonds, may be opened using the unique blade and blade seat features of this invention to extract the kernel without prior cracking of the shell. When the invention is operatively employed, a spoon-shaped element supports the nut or a portion thereof, and serves as a safety feature to the operator.